


Zutara Month (May 2020)

by Neva_Borne



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fire Nation (Avatar), Love, Lovers, One Shot, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Avatar: The Last Airbender, Post-Canon, Romance, Zutara, Zutara Month, Zutara Month 2020, collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:27:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23939884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neva_Borne/pseuds/Neva_Borne
Summary: My collection of works for Zutara Month 2020 part 2! Some will be one-shots, some will be continued in later days, and some may spark future full-length fanfics.All of them will be Zutara. Full of goodness and spice and fluff and maybe some angst and maybe even some smut. We'll just have to see how this month plays out.
Relationships: Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 31
Kudos: 185





	1. Flowers

Summer had always been her favorite time of year, and summer in the Fire Nation was no different. The heat of the sun, offset by the gentle breeze that blew across her skin, made her feel warm and alive. And summer evenings, alive with the hum of insects and bullfrogs and the distant smell of smoke and children’s laughter, were her favorite. She had taken to strolling through the Royal Gardens, taking this time for herself, to destress from all the politics and hectic rush of the day. 

It had been almost a year since Aang had defeated Ozai and restored balance to the world. Katara had spent most of that time in Caldera City, working alongside Fire Lord Zuko as one of his political advisors and ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe to restore relations with the other nations and ensure the health and safety of the Fire Nation people. It had been a long and arduous journey. At times, Fire Nation officials had taken a dislike to her. Other times she took a dislike to them. Neither times were enjoyable for Zuko, she knew, as he had to watch them argue while he tried to mitigate the situation. 

But these walks in the garden were her own time. She used them to think, to get away from politics. And during these walks, she usually found herself thinking about a certain Fire Lord with a particular scar on his face. It had become an increasing occurrence throughout the year. It was frustrating, too. She saw him with Mai, hugging, kissing, presenting themselves to the world as a beautiful, perfect, royal couple. It made sense. Mai was the daughter of a governor. She had grown up around the palace. She knew how it all worked.

And yet Katara felt jealous, and for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. Until a few months ago, she had been with Aang. Or, sort of with him. He was traveling so much that it had been difficult to really develop anything with him, and their relationship had come to an unpleasant end, unfortunately, at Sokka and Suki’s wedding. And she didn’t like remembering that. So her peaceful walks often turned into frustrating walks, and she would end up at the turtleduck pond, absently bending the water in gentle ripples as the turtleducks quacked softly. 

The turtleduck pond was her favorite spot in the garden, not just because of the cute turtleducks, but also because of the variety of flowers planted all around it and the tree that provided a beautiful shady spot for a bench where she could sit and look out across the pond. Fire lilies, blood roses, poppies, and jasmine flowers surrounded the pond. The only disappointment that came from the garden was that her favorite flower, the moon lily, was nowhere to be found. She’d expressed this to Zuko once, and he’d merely shrugged. Flowers in the Royal Garden were not priority, she knew. He had a country to run. 

As she approached it on this particular day, the familiar scents of these flowers drifted to her nostrils and she breathed them in, deeply, feeling her body relax as she forced thoughts of Aang and Zuko away. This was _her_ time. As she turned the final bend and was faced with the pond and the familiar tree and the familiar bench, she stopped. There, in the cool shade of the tree, just where they loved to grow, were moon lilies. As many moon lilies as could possibly fit in the space beneath the tree. 

“You said they were your favorite,” came a voice from behind her.

Katara turned, meeting the warm, golden eyes, noting the dark scar. His hair was longer now, some of it pulled up in a topknot while the rest hung loose around his shoulders. Her heart skipped a beat. “I didn’t expect you to actually plant any.”

Zuko smiled and stepped up beside her. “I wanted it to be a surprise. Here.” He strode over to the bushes and plucked one of the moon lilies off, its blue-grey petals shimmering slightly, and offered it to her. 

She took it, and her hands trembled slightly as her fingers brushed against his skin. “Why?” She asked, looking up at him, blue eyes wide and searching. She swallowed as he stepped closer, his eyes a deep, _deep_ gold. They were so beautiful.

“I care about you, Katara.” He said, his voice husky and deep and so familiar. “I want to make sure you’re happy here. You’ve worked so hard. The least I can do is… make you feel at home.”

She nodded, breaking eye contact to look down at the beautiful flower in her hands. Its petals were soft and delicate, trailing down her fingers like trickles of water. She sat down on the bench, and he sat beside her, and for a moment both of them were silent, just watching as the turtleducks swam around in the pond.

“Mai and I broke up.” 

Katara looked up at him. He was staring straight ahead at the pond, and all she could see was his scar. “Oh,” she murmured. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” He sighed. “It was a long time coming.”

She nodded and looked back out across the pond. “Well, if you weren’t happy, then I guess it’s for the best.” She said, resting her hands on either side of her and leaning forward on the bench. “You deserve to be happy.”

“So do you, Katara,” he murmured.

And she felt his fingers, warm and steady, gently touch her own, until his hand was twisting into hers and they were sitting there, interlocked. Her heart raced in her chest as she scent of the moon lilies and Zuko’s signature smell of spice was carried on a gentle breeze that rustled through her hair. 

“I am happy.” She said, smiling as she turned her head to look at him. He was smiling in return, his golden gaze fixed on her.

And she was. So when he leaned towards her, gently, hesitantly, she closed her eyes and didn’t pull away.


	2. Winter

The cold had come early that year, the grey clouds of autumn, full of rain and the scent of dying plants, making way for the stark white of winter. The first snow fell in October. The first ice storm hit a few days later.

Katara didn’t mind. She loved the cold and the snow. She loved being able to build snowmen and forts and throw snowballs, and it reminded her of home.

Zuko hated it. He’d always been a warm weather kind of guy, and the early snow had sent him into a grumpy mood. But even he couldn’t deny that it was beautiful, in the right light. As in, he was inside looking  _ out  _ at the snow hanging off the branches of trees, watching Katara.

She loved the snow because it reminded her of her brother. They’d grown up playing in the snow, laughing at each other and not caring about the world. She loved the snow because it made her feel alive. And now, she had someone else to share it with, and she wanted him to love the snow as much as she did.

“Mommy, I’m cold.”

The littlest voice came from right beside her, and she looked down to see him looking up at her with his big, golden eyes, just like his father’s. She smiled at him, reaching down and picking him up to settle him on her hip. His winter coat made him look twice the size he really was.

“Alright pumpkin, let’s go inside and have Daddy make us hot chocolates.” She rubbed her nose against his and headed towards the door of their little house. It was modest, but it was perfect for them. For their little family.

Zuko was waiting for them just inside the door, smiling warmly at them as Katara stomped on the mat to remove the snow from her boots before she set their son on the ground. Zuko reached down to help him unzip his jacket and remove his mittens.

“Daddy daddy daddy!” Their son exclaimed, beaming. “Mommy said you can make us hot chocolates!” 

Zuko raised an eyebrow as he glanced up at Katara. “Is that right, Lui?” He pulled the boy’s boots off and set them on the mat so that the snow wouldn’t melt all over the wood floor. “Well you know that Mommy’s always right. Come on, you wanna help?”

“No! I wanna watch cartoons!” Lui protested, racing off towards the living room.

Katara, now with her own jacket and gloves taken off, smiled apologetically at him. “Sorry. I’ll help instead.” 

He smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her waist as they made their way to the kitchen. This was their usual routine whenever Katara and Lui returned from their adventure in the snow. Zuko loved having Katara beside him, humming a gentle song as they made their three hot chocolates. Sometimes, like today, they had cookies from one of Katara and Lui’s baking sessions. And then they’d take the hot chocolates and the cookies to the living room, where Lui would be watching his favorite cartoons, and they would snuggle up together on the couch, a fuzzy blanket spread over their legs. And Katara would rest her head against his shoulder so he could smell her hair, and they would stay that way until dinner.

Winter wasn’t so bad, really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short and sweet and it makes me want a hot chocolate (it's dreary and raining here right now). Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chance Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU/College AU Zutara

She had begged her friends not to take her out. Begged them, pleaded with them. But they had insisted.

“It’s your birthday, Katara! You can’t just stay inside!” Suki said, already rifling through Katara’s closet.

“Why not? It’s _my_ birthday. I can do what I want.” Katara crossed her arms, huffing loudly as she watched Suki systematically examine and reject each dress in her closet.

“Because it’s tradition!” Toph piped up. Katara looked at where the girl was leaning against the door frame, dressed in a cute green top, black skinny jeans, and flats. She was blind, but you could barely tell, the way she acted. 

“And maybe you’ll meet a cute guy to take your mind off Aang!” Ty Lee added, joining Suki in the closet. She was dressed in her favorite color - pink.

Katara’s stomach clenched unpleasantly at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. “There’s more to life than cute guys,” she mumbled in protest, but Ty Lee wasn’t listening. “Look, guys, I appreciate it, but I really don’t want to go anywhere. I’d rather just watch movies here.”

An audible gasp came from the closet and Katara glanced over, wincing as Suki pulled out the blue silk and lace dress that she had buried so deeply she had almost forgotten about it. Ty Lee had her hands clasped together over her heart, her eyes sparkling.

“Oh my god, Katara! It’s perfect!” She squealed.

“It matches your eyes,” Suki added, holding the dress out and glancing between it and Katara. 

“That’s for special occasions,” Katara said, pressing her lips together in a firm line. 

“And turning twenty-one isn’t a special occasion?” 

“No.”

Toph had moved over and was gently stroking the dress, feeling the delicate lace patterns with her fingers. Her eyes widened. “Katara, I can’t even see, and I _know_ this dress is perfect for you. You _have_ to wear it!”

“I don’t even want to go out!” 

“Come on,” Suki insisted, placing the dress on the end of the bed and putting her hands on her hips. “One drink, one dance, and if you’re still not having fun by that point, we’ll come back here and watch movies all night.”

Katara sighed. “Fine. One drink.”

“And one dance.” Suki interrupted, her voice firm.

“Alright alright!” Katara threw her hands up in defeat. 

\---

An hour later, Katara was wearing the blue dress and what felt like an inch of makeup, even though Ty Lee insisted that it was really very subtle. Suki was busy finishing up her hair - she’d insisted on leaving most of it down and just braiding a loop that started at her temples and connected in the back. Katara usually wore her hair in a single braid, and having her loose curls brush against her shoulders was a foreign sensation. 

“You look _amazing,_ Katara!” Ty Lee exclaimed, taking a step back to admire the whole picture. 

“Let’s just get this over with,” she sighed, allowing the three other girls to lead her out of her room and outside into the evening.

To her surprise, and with suspicion rising within her every moment, they didn’t take her to a bar. Instead, Suki pulled the car into the parking lot of a hotel. A _fancy_ hotel. 

“Suki… what are we doing here?” Katara asked, her voice slow and dripping with suspicion. 

The three girls just grinned at her. “Come on, we’re late.” 

They pulled her out of the car and guided her inside, ducking down a hallway until they were in the main ballroom of the hotel. There was loud music playing, colored lights swirling around, a dance floor set up in the middle of the room. People were dancing and drinking and eating from the little carts set up all over. 

“Oh no,” Katara whispered, realizing exactly what had happened. 

“Katara!” Her brother’s voice carried to her even through the loud music pounding in her ears. 

She shook her head as the girls giggled, their plan having worked. Or, Sokka’s plan having worked, she supposed. She should have known better than to trust Suki when she was dating her troublesome brother.

“Oh wow,” Ty Lee said suddenly. “Is… Is that…?”

And at her words, Katara looked up. The first thing she saw was Sokka, grinning at her as he approached her, his stupid ponytail making him easily recognizable. And then beside and slightly behind him, a taller figure dressed in dark red and black, his dark hair loose and shaggy and half covering his eyes. She hadn’t seen him in years, but the scar over his left eye was unmistakable. 

She felt her chest tighten as she swallowed, her heart suddenly racing in her chest. _Oh no._

\---

Zuko wasn’t sure why Sokka had decided to drag him along to his sister’s birthday party, but they were serving alcohol and it had been a while since he and Sokka had hung out, so he figured it couldn’t hurt. He could use a distraction anyway. 

He’d met Katara a few times over the years, though since she’d gone off to school and he and Sokka had become busier, it had actually been a few years since he’d last seen her. He remembered that she looked a lot like her brother - except prettier, of course, although he didn’t dwell on that much. Or he tried not to - she was Sokka’s _sister,_ afterall. But she was always quiet around him, and he’d never seen her wear anything more revealing than a T-shirt, so it had been relatively easy to dismiss the fleeting thoughts that crossed any guy’s mind when faced with a semi-attractive woman. So when Sokka began dragging him across the room to go say hi to the newly arrived birthday girl, he wasn’t expecting to see her dressed in a form-fitting blue dress that perfectly matched her eyes and clung to every curve of her body, or wearing heels that drew attention to her muscular calves, or wearing makeup that made her eyes look even bigger and brighter than usual. And her hair was down, falling in beautiful chocolate waves across her shoulder and down her back. And when she looked up at him and their eyes met...

His throat went dry. _Oh no._

“Happy birthday little sis!” Sokka exclaimed, throwing his arms around Katara and squeezing so hard Zuko was sure that Katara was either going to break or hit him. 

“Thanks, Sokka,” she exhaled when Sokka finally released her. 

He noticed that her eyes flicked up to his again and he cleared his throat. “Uh, happy birthday, Katara. Nice to see you again.” 

“Oh, uh, thanks, Zuko,” she stammered, and he watched as she pulled a piece of her hair and began playing with it. “You too.”

“Well, I’m off to dance with Suki, have fun!” Sokka yelled, dragging Suki off towards the dance floor. Zuko watched him, desperate, silently screaming at him to come back. What the hell was he doing, leaving him with Katara?

“And _we’re_ off to drink,” the girl in the green shirt said, grabbing the girl in pink and dragging her off forcefully. He couldn’t remember either of their names.

Zuko swallowed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to think of something to say. Katara had wrapped her arms around herself and was looking around the room. Probably looking for an escape, honestly.

“Uh… do you… do you want a drink?” He asked, finally.

She turned her blue eyes - they were _so_ blue, how had he never realized how pretty they were? - on him and smiled slightly, her cheeks a bit pink. “Sure. A drink sounds incredible right now.”

\---

She followed him to the bar set up in the corner of the room. Her heart was racing in her chest, and she kept glancing around, searching for Toph or Ty Lee or even her brother, but they were lost in the crowd. She made a mental note to yell at all of them for leaving her alone with _Zuko. Zuko._ Her brother’s best friend. She’d never spoken more than a few words to him since they’d first met back when Sokka was in highschool, and she’d stupidly confessed to her friends that she had a crush on him.

But that was years ago. She’d gotten over him since then. She’d even had a steady boyfriend up until recently. And they were both adults, and she was pretty sure he had a girlfriend anyway. So she was going to have a drink with him, and a pleasant conversation, and maybe they’d even become friends. And then she’d go home at the end of the night and sleep and when she woke up she’d tell her friends off for leaving her alone with him.

“You’re still in school, right?” Zuko’s question startled her - she’d been so caught up in her thoughts. She nodded in response as she sat down at the bar and smoothed out her dress self-consciously. She hadn’t thought about how much of her legs were showing until now. 

“How’s that going?”

She looked up at him. He was watching her with those curious golden eyes. She’d always liked his eyes - it was a shame one of them was squinty and damaged by the scar on his face. “Uh, fine, I guess. Just one year left before I graduate.”

“What are you studying?”

“Marine biology. I want to help restore the reefs.”

The bartender came over before Zuko could respond. He ordered a whiskey. She glanced helplessly at the menu above the bar. 

“Uh… a pina colada? Please?” She asked hesitantly. She didn’t really drink. She’d had a few sips of wine before and hadn’t found it particularly pleasant. But a pineapple and coconut drink sounded tolerable.

She felt Zuko’s eyes on her and she looked back at him, frowning when she saw that he was smiling at her. “What?”

“Sorry. Just… you ordered such a girly drink.” He chuckled.

She crossed her arms, her brows furrowing. “So? What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” he shook his head. “Just… it’s cute.”

“Shut up.” She stammered, looking pointedly away from him so he couldn’t see the violent flush that had sprung to her cheeks. After a moment, during which the bartender returned with their drinks, she spoke again. “So what do you do? I forget what you went to school for.”

She saw him shrug out of the corner of her eye. “I’m helping run my father’s business. The plan is for me to take it over one day.”

She sipped her drink - it was good, she couldn’t even taste the alcohol - and turned to face him again, the blush having faded from her cheeks. “That’s pretty cool.” She paused for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek as the silence stretched on for a bit longer than was comfortable. “Uh, how’s your girlfriend? I forget her name… Is she here tonight?” 

Zuko’s face instantly turned blank and unreadable. “Mai. And no. We broke up.” He drained the whiskey in his glass and raised a hand for the bartender to refill it.

“Oh.” Katara exhaled. She was pretty sure that Zuko and Mai had been together since highschool. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Zuko shrugged. “What about you? I think I remember Sokka mentioning you dating someone. What’s he like?”

\---

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Katara looked down at the bar, swirling her straw absently in her drink.

“We aren’t together anymore.” She said, stiffly.

“Oh.” He said. He couldn’t think of anything else to say that wouldn’t make the situation more awkward. “Sorry.”

She shrugged and looked up at him, a small smile on her lips. “It’s alright. We weren’t right for each other.”

He nodded, forcing himself to look away from her lips - why were they so pink, and why did they look so soft? - and glanced down at his drink. 

“Kind of mean of your friends to ditch you with me,” he said, laughing a bit. “I’m not really great company.”

She laughed with him and he was pretty sure his heart starting doing flips in his chest. Her laugh was so beautiful. “Remind me to yell at them later. I didn’t even want to come out tonight. I wanted to stay home and watch movies.” She shrugged and took a large drink of her pina colada. “But don’t sell yourself short. I’m enjoying talking to you. Best part of my night so far.”

His chest rose and fell rapidly as the words slipped out of his mouth before he even had time to think. “Let’s sneak out of here and go watch some movies then.”

\---

She stared at him, wondering if she’d heard him correctly. His golden eyes were looking at her with an intensity she wasn’t familiar with. Her heart was racing in her chest, she could barely breathe.

And before she could even really think, she heard the word, “okay” slip breathlessly from her lips.

He stood up, offering her his hand. “Let’s go, then.” He said, and she placed her hand in his, feeling a warm tingle run up her arm and throughout her body as she let him pull her away from the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued on a future Zutara Month day.
> 
> Also sorry it's a day late, I had a bad day yesterday and didn't get ANY writing done.


	4. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An angsty examination of what Katara and Zuko felt after the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se

Every time she thought about the crystal catacombs, it hurt. Every time she pictured his face, it hurt. He had seemed so sincere. He’d talked about his mom. He’d… he’d let her touch him. And she knew - she  _ knew  _ \- he had good inside him. She  _ knew  _ that the decision to betray them - betray  _ her _ \- had not been an easy one for him to make. And that made it hurt all the worse. 

She’d opened up to him too. She’d offered to heal his scar. And why? Why had she done that? Because he’d made her feel safe, and heard, and like she wasn’t alone. Because  _ spirits  _ did she feel alone. She had her father back, and Aang was alive, and everyone was here on the ship with them. But she felt more alone than she’d felt in a long time. 

She couldn’t even bend. Not really. They were undercover, a bunch of Water Tribesmen pretending to be Fire Nation soldiers. It wouldn’t do to have a dazzling display of waterbending seen on a Fire Navy ship. And without her bending, she didn’t know how to release the frustration she felt. The hurt. The emptiness. 

What’s worse, she couldn’t even talk to anyone about it. She hadn’t mentioned the conversation that had taken place to anyone, and even if she did, she didn’t think they’d understand. He was their enemy. Prince of the Fire Nation, heir to the throne. Ozai’s flesh and blood. They hadn’t seen him like she had, understood the hurt that he had buried within himself, pretending it didn’t exist. But she understood because she’d done the same thing. She was still doing it. She had to be strong for everyone else and it didn’t matter how she felt because there was a war going on and the only thing that mattered was winning.

She was used to seeing his face when she closed her eyes to go to sleep. But things had shifted since the catacombs. Now, instead of feeling fear and disgust and hatred, now she felt sadness, and hurt, and betrayal, like she’d been stabbed in the gut. And she fell asleep praying to the spirits that she never saw him again because if she did, she would make sure he could never make anyone feel anything ever again.

\---

It was everything he’d ever wanted. Everything he’d dreamed of for the past three years. He was home. His father was proud of him. He had his honor back. He had Mai. And yet, there was something… missing. Something that didn’t feel right. And it wasn’t  _ just  _ that Azula had lied to their father about him killing the Avatar. It was more than that. 

Every time he let his mind wander, it ended up in the same place: a cave with green crystals and a girl in blue. And every time he thought about her, he felt guilt and shame rise within him. And he didn’t know why. He’d done the right thing, for his country, for himself. They had finally taken Ba Sing Se. The standstill of the war was reaching its end. By summer’s end, the Fire Nation would finally rule the world. And he would rule over it one day. 

And yet, he couldn’t get her face out of his mind. Her eyes, bright and big and blue, staring up at him, her fingers resting gently on his scar as he’d… given in. He’d wanted her to touch him. He’d wanted to spend more time with her. And then the Avatar had shown up, and everything had fallen apart. He had a chance to restore his honor, and he’d taken it. It was all he’d ever wanted.

Until now.

Now he wanted the blue girl, with her dark skin and chocolate hair. And he wanted to apologize to her. But he never could, because she was his enemy, and he was heir to the throne and he was going to do what princes do and support his father in the war. But maybe afterwards, when it was all over, he would find her, and he would tell her he was sorry.

And so he fell into a restless sleep, dreaming of green crystals and a girl in blue, and a promise on his lips that one day he would make it right. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not super original and not super long, I know. But I hope it was interesting all the same. I always wondered how they felt about the betrayal immediately afterwards - obviously we know that Katara is bitter and angry towards Zuko when he finally joins them, and he feels sorry for it, but. Immediately afterwards we get no mention of it, and I wanted to explore their emotions.


	5. Cave of Two Lovers

This is a placeholder because I suck I'm sorry.


	6. Family

This is a placeholder because I suck I'm sorry.


	7. Wisdom

This is a placeholder because I suck I'm sorry.


	8. Movie Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from Day 3: Chance Encounter
> 
> Please enjoy!

Katara could feel the adrenaline pumping through her body even as she settled into the passenger seat of Zuko’s car. She wasn’t sure if it was from sneaking out of her own birthday party, or if it was from sneaking out  _ with Zuko.  _ Either way, she tried to slow her breathing down so that her heart would stop racing. She didn’t say anything as they pulled out of the parking lot and out into the road, headed for her house.

“So what kind do you like?”

Katara blinked, turning her head to look at Zuko. “What?”

He raised his eyebrow at her. “Well, I’d just like to know if I’m in for a night of horror movies or sappy romances. I’m fine with either, by the way. I’d just like to prepare myself.”

“Oh, right, movies.” Katara exhaled. His question had sent her mind reeling in confusion. What kind did she like? The kind with dark hair and gold eyes. That kind. But he was just talking about movies. “Um. All kinds, I guess. I know Suki mentioned a movie a while ago that I haven’t seen, but you probably aren’t interested in it.”

“Which movie?”

“I think it’s called  _ The Princess Bride?” _ Katara shrugged. “I’m not really-”

“Wait,” Zuko interrupted, “you haven’t seen  _ The Princess Bride?” _

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Um… no.”

“That settles it.” Zuko stated firmly as they pulled into the driveway in front of her house. “We’re watching that.”

“Didn’t peg you for a fantasy romance kind of guy,” Katara chuckled as they both got out of the car. Her feet hurt. She would be very glad to get out of the heels as soon as they got inside.

Zuko met her gaze, and Katara felt her heart stop as her throat constricted. It was hard to swallow. His eyes were so warm, so intense. He was silent for just a moment too long, staring at her. “I’d like to consider myself a romantic.”

Katara shivered, but it wasn’t from cold. The summer night was perfectly warm, even in her dress.  _ Keep it together, Katara,  _ she thought desperately. It would do no good for her crush to be rekindled. She was having fun talking to him, that was all. 

“Well, let’s go watch it then.” She said, pulling her keys out of a small silver bag she had over her shoulder and opening up the door to the house. A blast of cold air hit her as she stepped inside, flicking on the light, and she shivered again.  _ Dammit, Sokka,  _ she thought. He’d obviously left the air conditioning on and now it was freezing.

“Sorry about the cold, I’ll go turn it off.” Katara said, kicking off her heels and glancing at Zuko who had stepped in beside her and closed the door behind them. Strangely, it didn’t feel cold this close to him. But somehow she felt more vulnerable, a full head shorter than him without her heels on.

“No worries. I’ll get the movie set up.”

She nodded. She kept forgetting that Zuko had been here many times before, visiting Sokka. 

\---

Zuko sucked in a breath once Katara padded off down the hallway to turn off the air conditioning. He found it very hard to breathe around her. She smelled good - oh so good, like the crisp ocean breeze he’d loved as a child - and her blue eyes were so intense. There was a depth there that he had never really noticed until tonight. Unconsciously, he watched her disappear around the corner, then shook himself. 

The living room was just as he remembered - the worn couch, draped with various blankets and throw pillows, the photos on the walls that told the story of a happy family slowly fading away until it was just Katara and Sokka and their grandmother when they were in high school, and then their graduation photos with just the two of them. He felt his heart tighten in his chest as he noted that the only picture that had been added since he was last here was Sokka’s college graduation. For a moment, he lingered on the one before that - Katara’s high school graduation photo. She looked more like he remembered, her hair in a braid down her back, her demeanor slightly more withdrawn. Happy, but with something deeper lurking below the surface.

“Do you want popcorn or chips or something?”

He jumped at her voice, turning around to face her and feeling guilty even though he hadn’t done anything wrong. He met her gaze and watched as she flicked her eyes between him and the photos.

“Sorry,” he stammered. “I just, I noticed the new photo so I came over to look.”

She shrugged. “Pictures are for people to look at, I don’t know why you’re acting so weird about it.”

“I dunno, you’ve just… grown up a lot, since that was taken.” He winced at his own words, unsure exactly what his goal was but knowing that what he’d said was just digging him deeper into his own hole.

Her face darkened. “I was grown up long before that was ever taken.”

“Sokka told-”

“I know.” She crossed her arms and looked down, defensive, yet… ashamed? “You know everything about me, and I know nothing about you.”

“I don’t know everything about you.” Zuko frowned, hesitating for a moment before stepping closer. “But… I’d like to.”

Her head snapped up and for a moment they were just staring at each other. Zuko felt his breath hitch in his chest as his heart sped out of control.

\---

Katara was frozen. Her entire body was rooted to the spot as Zuko stared down at her and she met his gaze. She couldn’t breathe. The only thing running through her mind was how handsome Zuko looked, how he smelled like spices, how he seemed to radiate heat, and how soft his lips looked. 

Finally, she blinked and sucked in a breath. “Um, so… popcorn, or chips? Or sodas? Anything you want?”

“Right,” he said, and it looked like he straightened up away from her as his hand went to his hair. “Uh… popcorn’s fine. Whatever you want, Katara. It’s your birthday.”

She nodded, unsure if she could speak through the tightness in her chest, and turned back to the kitchen. She was shaking slightly as she put a bag of popcorn into the microwave and jammed her finger onto the button. Zuko’s words echoed in her head as she made her way to the fridge to grab two sodas. What did he possibly mean, he wanted to get to know her? It was stupid. She’d always be Sokka’s little sister to him. And that was fine, because she didn’t even like him anymore anyways. 

Except she knew that was a lie.

\---

When Katara returned with the popcorn and sodas, Zuko had already turned on the TV and had the movie pulled up and ready to go. He’d settled on his usual spot on the couch. He glanced at her as she approached, the smell of fresh popcorn wafting to his nose. He tried not to think about earlier. He tried not to think about how amazing she looked, still in her dress, her hair still down, but more relaxed within the comfort of her own home. Fuck. When had he started thinking of her like this?

He pressed play as she settled onto the opposite corner of the couch and set the bowl between them, and he couldn’t help but feel disappointed that she was so far away. 

He’d seen the movie before, so he wasn’t paying much attention to it as it began. His focus was mostly on Katara.

“Her name is  _ Buttercup?”  _ She asked incredulously, her brows furrowed. 

“Yep,” he responded, smiling slightly. 

“Was she named by a five-year-old?”

“Come on, you can’t judge the movie in the first five minutes.” Zuko laughed. “Give it a chance, I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

A few minutes went by without further comments, and then he noticed she was shivering as she pulled one of the blankets over her.

“Are you cold?” He asked.  _ Stupid Zuko, obviously she’s cold, she’s grabbing a blanket you idiot. _

But she just nodded. “Yeah, the AC was blasting for a while, it’s freezing.”

He grabbed the popcorn bowl and set it on the coffee table in front of them, shifting slightly. “Mai always said I was like a human heating pad, so… if you want I could warm you up?”

\---

She looked at him. Her heart skipped a beat. She remembered his hand, warm and inviting when he’d dragged her off from her own party. She remembered standing by the door, and how she hadn’t felt cold. And she was  _ freezing  _ right now. 

“Okay,” she breathed, scooting over and pressing up against him, trying to keep her dress from riding up too high. He  _ was  _ warm, and he smelled of spice, and she could feel his muscles beneath his dress shirt. But he was comfy, too, and she quickly snuggled into a position, her head resting in the crook of his shoulder, her feet tucked up beneath her, that was very comfortable and very effective at warming her up beneath the blanket she still had draped over her. 

They stayed that way, perfectly silent except for their breathing, until the movie ended. 

“Did you like it?” Zuko’s voice came soft from right above her. Soft and maybe even… nervous?

She shifted so that she could look him in the eye, still sitting beside him on the couch. “Yeah. I did.” She held his gaze for a moment, then blinked and looked down. “Thank you, Zuko.”

“For what?” He asked, and she looked back up at him, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“Just, for being here. Watching the movie with me. I don’t know why you did it but you didn’t have to, and I just… I appreciate it.”

As she held his gaze, she couldn’t help but feel like he was holding something back. His body was tense beside her and he seemed to be struggling to find words.

“I…” He swallowed thickly. “I wanted to spend time with you.”

Her breath caught in her chest. His golden eyes were burning into hers. She was warm, thanks to him, but she shivered anyway. “Why?” The word was barely a sound, so quiet she wasn’t even sure if it had escaped her lips.

She felt his fingers brush against her cheek, felt the electric sparks shoot through her body at his touch, and then he was pulling her towards him. She felt his lips, hot and soft, press against her own, and she closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him in return as the tension was released from her body and she melted into him, into the kiss, into  _ Zuko.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck I'm sorry, I know it's late and everything but finals have me distracted and I'm sorry!!!


	9. Shatter

This is a placeholder


	10. Sunset

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	11. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from Day 8: Movie Night
> 
> ~~~WARNING~~~
> 
> Chapter contains mature content! Do not proceed if under 18 or uncomfortable with mature content!

Kissing her was better than he’d imagined. She was soft, so soft, her hair spilling over her shoulders as he pulled her down into him. He could feel the tension release from his body as they melted into each other. He’d expected her to reject the kiss, reject him, but she’d done the opposite, and he was confused but all too happy to let it happen. Years and years of fleeting thoughts, of pushing them away because it was just too ridiculous to think that anything could ever happen between them, flashed through his mind. Was this really happening? 

She pulled away, breaking the kiss. He stared at her, his heart racing, his breathing coming hard and shallow. Her eyes were searching his face, taking in the ragged scar, the hard lines that he’d developed over the years. 

He opened his mouth, an apology forming on his lips, but she silenced him with a kiss. And her kiss was soft and gentle, and he groaned slightly as he tightened his grip around her body and leaned forward, shifting them so that she was lying flat against the couch and he was leaning over her, letting his hands brush gently along her sides, feeling every curve of her body, and wanting -  _ needing  _ \- more. 

Suddenly he felt her push her hips upward against his own and he gasped, breaking the kiss momentarily and then diving back down, more insistent, more desperate, his teeth scraping against her bottom lip and eliciting a gasp from her in return. He broke the kiss, trailing smaller kisses down her jaw and onto her neck, sucking gently at the sensitive skin, relishing in her body squirming beneath him.

“We-” she began, breathlessly, as Zuko continued his exploration of her body, down to the very top of her dress. “We should… go... upstairs.”

His body was on fire as he brought himself back up, staring down at her, eyes blazing, a smirk on his lips. “If we go upstairs, will you take your dress off?”

She flushed, her already dark skin turning a shade of red he hadn’t thought possible, and his smirk widened. Then he tensed slightly as she slid her hands across his torso and pulled on his shirt, untucking it from his pants and letting her fingers brush against his skin. He shuddered.

“I will,” she exhaled, bringing her lips to meet his for just a moment. “If you take off your clothes too.”

\---

She watched as his eyes flashed, somehow brighter than they already had been, and he scrambled off her, reaching out a hand and pulling her to her feet as they both hurried from the living room to go upstairs. As they reached the top of the stairs, she felt his hand clasp firmly onto her ass and she squeaked in surprise, turning to look at him and meeting only the fiery gaze as he smirked down at her before he was kissing her again, and he was wrapping his arms around her and she was gripping the back of his shirt like her life depended on it.

Somehow they stumbled into her bedroom, their bodies and mouths still interlocked. She heard the door slam behind them as Zuko pushed her backwards, towards the bed, until her legs collided with it and she fell onto the mattress. 

“Your dress,” Zuko mumbled against her lips. “Is still on.”

She tugged on his shirt. “So’s your shirt.” She replied. He was off her in an instant, unbuttoning just enough of the buttons to be able to pull the shirt off over his head. 

Katara sat up, watching him, raking her eyes over his bare chest. He was fit. Far more muscular than Aang. She could see his muscles ripple when he moved as she trailed her eyes down to the gentle V shape that led down into the waistband of his pants, promising more. She could feel heat rise in her cheeks as she stared, but she didn’t want to look away. 

“You’re staring,” Zuko said, and she suddenly realized how close he was again. She looked up, meeting his golden eyes, feeling her stomach churn in nervous excitement. 

“I’m allowed to,” she said, her voice much bolder than she felt. 

He grinned, leaning down and pressing his lips - if she thought they were hot before, they were  _ burning  _ now - against hers as his hands found their way to the back of her dress. “Not until I can stare at you too.”

She felt the zipper of her dress being pulled down, felt the top of the dress loosen around her chest and shoulders, and he was still kissing her, until the zipper reached its end and he broke the kiss. She saw his eyes flick down to her chest for a moment before they came back up to meet her gaze. 

She let the dress fall off her, sliding to the ground in a gentle whoosh of silk. She hadn’t worn a bra, and for a moment she felt incredibly exposed, almost naked in front of this boy - this  _ man _ \- who was too good for her, had always been too good for her. But the moment ended when Zuko charged forward and kissed her again, his hands exploring her body as he pushed her back onto the bed. She could feel the tension in his body as he touched her, the desire for more, and she felt it too, squirming in growing frustration. 

She wanted him. Almost of their own accord, her fingers made their way down to his pants, undoing his belt buckle and unbuttoning the pants. She felt him tense further as she pushed them down, letting her fingers linger on his skin, reaching around to touch his ass.

“Katara,” he mumbled, and she could feel him shaking slightly above her. “If you go any further, I won’t be able to control myself.”

She smiled, her heart pounding in her chest. Somehow her name, coming from his lips in such a raspy, husky voice, made her feel even more on fire than she already was. “I don’t want you to control yourself.”

She heard him swear softly as he stood for a moment, pushing his pants down the rest of the way and stepping out of them, and for a second she could see  _ everything  _ and her heart skipped a beat, and then he was back on her, grabbing her underwear and yanking them off her, throwing them aside like they were nothing, and then his lips were back on hers, and she felt his fingers exploring, searching for her sweet spot. And she let out a gasp when he found it, squirming beneath him as he began to rub. She could feel heat rising in her body and he became more insistent with his kiss, and then suddenly his hand left the heat of her groin and she groaned in frustration before she felt his erection press against her, harder and harder until all resistance was gone and he thrust inside her.

\---

The noise she made when he entered her drove him crazy.  _ She  _ drove him crazy. The sensation of being inside her was beyond his imagination. He knew that he was out of control, his animalistic instincts taking over as he thrust into her again and again, his hands clawing at her, grabbing her breasts, her hips, her hair, squeezing them and pulling them as his tongue desperately explored her mouth. And she tasted so sweet, like pineapple, and he could feel the fire within him burning brighter and hotter with every second even as he tried to resist, to slow down, but she was reacting to him just the same; he could feel her hips rocking against his own, could feel her hands on his body, touching him with the same desperation he felt. 

Just when he thought he couldn’t hold back any longer, he felt her entire body shake beneath him as she arched her back up into him, breaking their kiss and letting out a noise of pleasure that he could hardly imagine had come from her lips. Her legs tightened around him as she shook, and he felt the heat inside himself burst, letting out a moan as he shuddered, thrusting a few more times before stopping, his breaths coming ragged and heavy, and then he flopped to the side, staring up at the ceiling and trying to catch his breath. He glanced over at Katara, feeling warmth spread through him at the sight of her messy hair, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her blue eyes were watching him intently and he smiled, opening up his arms as an invitation.

\---

She scooted over to him, pressing her body against his and nestling her head in the crook of his shoulder, letting her fingers dance along his chest as she tried to slow her heart and steady her breathing. A million thoughts were racing through her head, but most prominently was - what the fuck had just happened? She’d had sex with Zuko.  _ Zuko.  _ Sokka’s best friend. And she didn’t know what it meant. She could still feel him on her body. She was sure there’d be marks in the morning. 

“Zuko?” She asked, her voice hesitant. 

“Yeah?”

“Is this… Was this a one-time thing?”

She felt him shift, moving so that he was propped up on his elbow, looking down at her, and his hand, warm and soft, was resting on her hip. His golden eyes blazed down at her, not as intense as they had been, but still fiery. 

“If that’s what you want it to be.”

“I…” She flushed. “No, I just…” She bit her lip, dropping her gaze from his. She felt vulnerable. She didn’t like feeling vulnerable. “I don’t know why you’d be interested. In me.” 

“Are you kidding?” He asked, raising her chin gently so that she was forced to look back up into his eyes. “Katara… honestly… I’ve thought you were cute for a long time. And talking to you tonight… you’re intelligent, you’re kind. You’re interesting.” He paused for a moment, and Katara searched his face. “I’m not the kind of person who casually hooks up with people, especially not with my best friend’s little sister.”

Katara flushed. She knew he was telling the truth. He’d been with Mai for years, and she knew from Sokka’s groans and grumbles that he was “irritatingly faithful” to her. Of course, once Sokka met Suki, he’d changed his tone and, ultimately, become “irritatingly faithful” as well. 

“Sokka’s going to kill you.” She laughed.

He grinned, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead before pressing one to her lips, lingering there for a moment. “It was worth it.”

They were silent for a moment as they just relaxed in each other’s arms. Katara’s head was still spinning. She still barely knew Zuko. Sokka was going to kill him when he found out. How long had he thought she was cute? 

“Tell me something about yourself, Zuko.” She said softly.

He made a noise. “Like what?”

“I dunno.” She sighed. “Like… why you broke up with Mai, or how you got your scar, or what your favorite color is.”

“One of those questions is not like the others.”

“I just want to know about you.” 

“I’m not sure my deepest darkest secrets are a great topic for a first date.”

“Then start with your favorite color, and we can go from there.”

He sighed. “Blue.”

She blinked. “Really?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

\---

Since when indeed. Since the first time he saw her, he supposed. He hadn’t really thought about it, but when he’d gone to their house for the first time after becoming friends with Sokka, with her brilliant blue eyes and wearing a blue knit sweater that was about three sizes too big for her… That was the moment that stuck out in his mind. Ever since then, blue had been his favorite color.

“Since I first saw you, I guess.”

She was silent for a moment, and he could feel himself drifting off. It was late. He was tired. And Katara’s body was warm beside his.

“What about your scar?”

His scar. Would it really hurt to tell her? He’d told Mai. She had just shrugged. For some reason, he’d never told Sokka. Probably because he knew Sokka would want to beat up whoever was responsible. And Sokka wasn’t great at keeping secrets. But Katara? She was more sensitive than Mai, quieter than Sokka. But he knew that she had a fierceness to her too.

“Not tonight, Katara.”

He felt her nod. “When you’re ready to tell me, I’ll tell you my secret too.”

He shifted so that he was lying towards his stomach, his arm draped over her, breathing in her smell, and smiled. “Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's on time! I'm hoping to stay caught up from now on but we'll see.


	12. Moonbeam

Katara chose not to go straight to sleep after they returned from the play. Her mind was whirring with far too much information to settle down, and Ember Island was beautiful at night. Especially the beach. The dark waves of the ocean lapped gently against the sand as Katara made her way down from the house, barefoot. She could feel the sand and pieces of sea shells digging into her feet as she walked, but she didn’t care. The moon was bright overhead, the ocean reflecting the grey orb in its rippling waves. It was peaceful.

She sat down at the edge of the water, digging her toes into the wet sand as the water rose and fell gently against her bare ankles, and wrapped her arms around her knees, staring out at the darkness. The night might be peaceful, but she felt anything but. The comet was a week away. The ending of the play stuck in her head, stupid as it had been. And Aang had tried to kiss her. Again.

She sighed, resting her chin on her knees. She didn’t want to hurt him. Aang was sensitive, perhaps too sensitive, and she knew that she’d upset him by reacting the way she did. But she didn’t feel the same. She never had.

She heard footsteps on the sand behind her and frowned, anger rising within her. She wanted to be left alone. Why on earth would Aang think it was a good idea to come out here?

“I don’t want to talk to you right now.” She snapped, glaring out at the water and flicking her wrist to make it swirl into the air.

The footsteps stopped. “Did I do something?”

Katara jumped at the voice and turned. The moonlight fell upon a taller, darker figure than she had expected. His scar was dark in the strange lighting, and his gold eyes glinted at her with confusion. 

“No, sorry,” she sputtered, feeling a bit embarrassed at her outburst. “I thought you were Aang.”

Zuko moved closer and sat down beside her - close, but not too close. He had a small basket in his hands that he set between them. “Did Aang do something?”

Katara sighed, rubbing at her face with her hands as Zuko opened the basket. The sweet smell of tea wafted to her nose. “Yes. No. I mean…” She paused, accepting the cup of tea Zuko was offering. “Nothing I shouldn’t have expected, I suppose.”

Zuko just hmm’ed and sipped his tea. Katara watched him out of the corner of her eye as she did the same. The silence stretched out too long. 

“He kissed me.”

“And you didn’t want him to?” He turned his head to look at her, his golden eyes piercing into her.

She shook her head. “I don’t want to hurt him. He’s about to fight the Fire Lord. But I just… can’t.”

Zuko looked away from her, taking another drink of tea as he watched the ocean. Katara found herself watching him instead. The silver moonlight danced across his dark hair.

“You are not responsible for everyone’s happiness, Katara. Just your own. He’ll get over himself.”

She blinked, then turned back to the ocean. Her own happiness? She’d barely thought about herself since embarking on their journey across the world. She’d been fighting for everyone else, for the world. And she enjoyed helping people - that’s who she was. But when she thought about the last times she’d focused solely on her own desires, she’d ended up helping Jet nearly wipe out an entire village of innocent civilians and had almost killed a man - admittedly a murderer himself, but still a living, breathing, defenseless man. 

“I’m not sure I deserve that.”

“I thought that too, for a long time.” Zuko shrugged. “I was a prince, banished from my home, dishonored, scarred. All because I’d spoken out against something that I thought was wrong. I spent years hunting the Avatar, and chasing you around the world when I finally found him. 

“I thought I would be happy when I finally returned home after Ba Sing Se. But I was more miserable than ever. I thought that maybe after everything I’d done, I didn’t deserve to be happy. Then I came here. And you hated me, and rightfully so. And I thought that maybe even making amends wasn’t enough. But being part of the group, of actually being wanted and appreciated… that makes me happy.” He turned to look at her, and she held his gaze, steady and strong. “Nobody ever deserves to be unhappy. Least of all someone who has done as much good in this world as you have.”

She swallowed thickly and dropped her gaze to the sand. “I can’t afford to think about being happy until the war is over.”

“We could die-”

“Exactly.”

“I wasn’t finished.” He looked at her, eyebrow raised, and she blinked. “We could die fighting for the war to be over. Do you really want to risk dying unhappy?”

She turned her head back to look out across the ocean. Somewhere, not so far away, the Fire Lord sat in his palace, planning the destruction of the world. Behind her, her brother and friends were sleeping soundly in Zuko’s old family house. And beside her was the boy who she’d hated for so long, who had come to be someone she could confide in. Someone who made her feel warm and strong. Someone whose face she dreamed about. 

She looked back at him, at the moonlight lighting up his face, illuminating the strange scar on his face. “No, Zuko. I don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued...
> 
> Yo it's on time again! Hope you enjoyed this one


	13. Hidden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from Day 11: Secrets

They decided it would be best not to tell Sokka for a while. Afterall, they were still figuring things out and they weren’t even sure if a proper relationship was feasible given their situations. Katara still had another year of school, and Zuko was set to take on his father’s role in his company. Both of them wanted it to work, though, and every day, Katara felt herself fall deeper into the pit she had first dug with her once hopeless crush.

Because both of them had agreed to keep it a secret from Sokka, that meant that Katara couldn’t even tell her friends. Although Suki was the only one who would tell Sokka, Toph and Ty Lee would likely end up telling her and then everything would fall apart. 

The ice grew thin about a week after her birthday when the three girls came to visit.

“So,” Suki began, casually flopping onto Katara’s bed. Katara winced as she rumpled the blankets and disrupted the pillows that she had  _ just  _ finished setting up. “How was your birthday party? You literally haven’t spoken to us since then.”

Katara rolled her eyes, picking up a pillow that had fallen on the floor as Suki flailed on the bed. “Sorry, I’ve been busy prepping for school. But I had fun.” She fought a blush as she thought about exactly what kind of fun she’d had. “I guess I should thank you for dragging me out.”

“I didn’t see you on the dance floor at all.” Suki continued, and Katara eyed her warily. 

“You were probably just too busy snogging Sokka,” Toph muttered. She was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, glaring at the floor. 

“Toph, just because you don’t have someone to snog doesn’t mean you have to be mean to me because I do.” Suki snapped.

“Girls, girls,” Ty Lee interjected, her eyes wide. “Stop fighting. Please. Your auras are turning grey and mushy!”

A tense silence followed for a moment as Suki continued glaring at Toph, but then she turned back to Katara. “Did you talk to Zuko much? I know it’s been a while since you last saw him.”

She almost choked on her own saliva and tried to cover by casually brushing some hair out of her face. “Um, yeah a bit. I mean, we don’t really know each other so it was kind of awkward.” 

At least that wasn’t a complete lie. She was still learning new things about Zuko. Like how he liked waking up early and would always gently kiss her awake, and how he liked his coffee with outrageous amounts of caramel and cinnamon drizzle. She had learned that he had a sister that he didn’t really talk about, and that his favorite ice cream flavor was pistachio. 

“You left the party with him though,” Ty Lee piped up.

Shit.

“Uh, yeah. He offered me a ride home. I was tired.” She shrugged, turning away from them to place a book back on her shelf so they wouldn’t see her flush.

“Oh really?” Suki’s voice had a lilt to it that made Katara’s blood turn cold. She resisted the urge to shiver. “So you managed to have a conversation with him  _ and  _ had him drive you home, but you aren’t talking to us about it?”

Katara glanced at her, feeling her heart racing in her chest, even as she shrugged. “I mean, there’s not much to talk about.”

“Except that you’ve had a crush on him since high school  _ and  _ he’s single now  _ and  _ you’re single  _ and  _ he gave you a ride home  _ and  _ every other time you’ve run into him you’ve talked nonstop about him to us.” Suki narrowed her eyes. “So why aren’t you talking now? Why aren’t you like… over the moon about having had a conversation with him?”

Katara huffed. “I don’t have a crush on him anymore. That was years ago. I was with Aang for a long time and I got over Zuko ages ago. We’re friends. Not even that, really. Just acquaintances. He gave me a ride home because I’m Sokka’s sister.”

“Whatever,” Toph grunted. “I’m starving. Can we just go get some lunch? If you really want to interrogate Katara, let’s at least do it over some food.”

“Fine,” Suki said brightly, standing up and knocking over another pillow. “Let’s go.”

Katara followed the three girls, shaking her head even as nerves bit at her stomach. Suki was far too perceptive for her liking, and something told her that before long, she would figure things out.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket as they stamped down the stairs, and she pulled it out to see a text from Zuko.

_ Dinner at my place tonight? I’m ordering Chinese. _

Her thumbs flew over the keyboard as she typed her reply.

_ Sure, but can’t talk now. With the girls. Suki suspects something. _

“Texting someone back there?” Suki called, and Katara looked up to see her watching her.

“Emailing my academic advisor, actually.” She frowned. She knew the lie would make sense - she was far more organized regarding her studies than any of her friends. 

Suki shrugged. “Well hurry up.”

Katara pocketed her phone and headed out the door.

\---

Avoiding Sokka had been relatively easy. Zuko had barely spoken to him since Katara’s party, excusing himself from coming over by claiming his father was keeping him busy with work. It was true, to an extent. He still managed to find plenty of time to see Katara. And every time he saw her, he knew that he was falling for her. 

He’d never felt that way with Mai, as much as he cared for her. But he was worried. Katara was passionate, kind, fierce, and she stood up for what she believed in. Mai had been quiet and reserved, almost to a fault. Zuko worried that if things progressed any further, he would have to introduce her to his father. He knew his father already suspected that he was seeing someone. And that introduction, he knew, would not go well - even without her knowing how he got his scar - because his father disapproved of just about everyone. Except Mai, once he had learned she came from another, equally rich family. He disapproved of Sokka, but tolerated their friendship simply because he did not calculate it causing much harm to their reputation.

“Friendship with lower class people can sometimes be an advantage,” he’d said once. “It shows the common people that we are like them. It keeps them happy when they believe we are on their side.”

Zuko frowned, shaking away the memory. He didn’t want to think about his father right now. Katara had said that Suki suspected something. Hopefully Katara had managed to convince her that nothing was going on. He sighed as he cleared off the coffee table in his apartment to make room for the Chinese food he’d ordered. The TV was already set up, waiting to play one of the other classic movies that Katara had never seen. They’d made a list. He honestly couldn’t believe that she’d never seen them before, and he’d been forcing her to sit through them every time she came over. Not that she minded, it seemed. They always ended up snuggling on the couch and later falling asleep in each other’s arms. 

The familiar soft knock at the door reached his ears and he strode over to the door, opening it and smiling down at Katara. Her hair was back in a braid, but she wore it looser now. A few strands of hair fell in waves on either side of her face. It was cute. She was wearing the blue sweater she’d worn the very first time he’d seen her - it was still too big for her, but not nearly as much now. 

“Hey,” she said, returning his smile and rising up on her toes to press her lips against his for a moment before gently brushing past him as she entered the apartment. “So I’m pretty sure Suki knows. Or at least thinks she knows.”

His stomach churned. “Do you think she’ll tell Sokka if she has no proof?”

Katara sighed, kicking off her shoes as she settled onto the couch, one elbow propped on the back of the couch, hand on her head as she looked at him. “I’m not sure. She’s convinced I’m hiding something though, so she’ll probably either tell him or try to find out more on her own.”

He sat beside her, running a hand through his hair. “Do we just give up on the whole secret then? Come clean?”

She chewed her lip. Zuko’s heart fluttered slightly. Her unconscious habits were adorable. 

“Are we…” She started, then paused, rubbing at her face. “Do you think we can make this work while I’m at school all the way on the coast? And afterwards? What’s the plan here? I can’t really be a marine biologist in the middle of the continent, Zuko.”

Zuko grunted. His father’s company, the one he was supposed to take over, was based here. He knew that if he moved, his father would be furious and quite possibly disown him and leave him nothing. Everything he’d worked for throughout his life would be gone. 

“Are you saying you want this to end?” He asked, meeting her gaze. His voice was steady, but the words left a bitter taste on his tongue and dread rose within him as he waited for her to respond.

“No.” She blinked. “No. But I’m a planner, Zuko. And obviously this wasn’t part of the plan, and I’m trying to readjust. But I can’t give up on my dream.”

He nodded and took her hand in his. Her skin was cool and soft. “I know.” He sighed. “I don’t want you to. We’ll figure it out.”

She nodded, though she didn’t look entirely convinced. Before either of them could say anything further, there was another knock at the door.

“That’s probably the food,” Zuko said, standing up and making his way over to the door. 

It wasn’t the food. Instead, Sokka stood there, grinning at him and brandishing a case of beer in his hand. “Hey buddy!” He said loudly. “I knew you’d be here, moping around. I came to cheer you up!”

Zuko’s heart nearly stopped at the sight of him, his blood running cold as his stomach twisted unpleasantly. Before he could even react, Sokka had pushed past him into the apartment. And froze.

“Katara?” He asked, voice ripe with confusion. “What are you doing here?”

Zuko turned slowly to face them. He caught sight of Katara, standing there, her face pale and stricken, eyes wide. He felt the blood drain from his own face as Sokka turned to look at him, pointing accusingly at Katara.

“Zuko,” he said, his voice quivering. “What the hell is my sister doing here?”

“Sokka, don’t-” Katara started, but Sokka didn’t seem to care.

“Are you  _ sleeping with my sister?”  _ He yelled.

Zuko swallowed. So much for keeping things hidden.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be continued further on another day!


	14. Matchmaker Iroh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ba Sing Se AU where Zuko and Katara have never met before.

He’d seen the girl come in nearly every day, had seen the way his nephew watched her carefully, always making sure her cup was full of fresh tea but never talking to her. He’d seen how her blue eyes followed his nephew around but would quickly glance back to her book whenever Zuko glanced her way. And after several weeks of this, he knew it was going nowhere on its own and decided to intervene. 

\---

Katara had found the tea shop by accident when she was on her way to another one, but the streets of Ba Sing Se were winding and confusing, and she decided that one tea shop was the same as another other. When she stepped inside the Jasmine Dragon, she was immediately hit with the inviting smell of various herbal teas and sweet cakes. The shop owner was a short, stout man with grey hair and beard, and he was always smiling and humming gentle tunes to himself as he bustled about behind the counter. A younger boy, maybe just a year or so older than her, worked as a server. He was tall, with dark shaggy hair and golden eyes. Most remarkable, though, was the vicious scar that stretched across his left eye, leaving him with a mangled ear and just one eyebrow. 

She had been taken aback the first time she saw his face properly, but as she became a regular customer, it had stopped bothering her. Of course, she wondered how he’d received such a scar. It certainly didn’t look like it was accidental. But it would be rude to ask, she knew, especially since the only form of conversation they had shared were polite words of thanks whenever he refilled her tea cup. 

Over the weeks, she grew comfortable at the shop. She learned that the owner’s name was Iroh, and he lived above the shop with his nephew, Zuko - the boy with the scar. Both of them were from the Fire Nation, both of them outcasts, and they had come to Ba Sing Se for a new start. Katara enjoyed talking to Iroh. He spewed wisdom constantly, though sometimes he didn’t make any sense at all, and he brewed the most delicious tea. But Zuko was more difficult to pin down. He was polite to everyone, but he was quiet and reserved, and he seemed to avoid her gaze whenever she was around. 

“My nephew has been through a lot in his young life,” Iroh said one day, after Zuko had merely nodded at Katara’s greeting and scurried to the back of the shop, out of sight. “He is still adjusting to this new life.”

Katara nodded, chewing at the inside of her cheek. “The war has changed a lot of things.”

Iroh smiled sadly. “Indeed. And unfortunately for my nephew, many of those things were not for the better.”

She pulled out a few coins and laid them on the table. “Thanks for the tea and the wise words, as always.” She smiled. “And tell Zuko that he’s not alone in being hurt by the war.”

It was about a week later when she walked into the tea shop and found that it was oddly empty. It was a beautiful day outside, and she couldn’t fathom why the shop was empty at a time when it was usually bustling with activity. She blinked and was about to turn around, figuring the shop must be closed and they just forgot to lock the doors or something, when Iroh’s familiar voice called out.

“Ah, Katara! On time as always. Please, come in, come in.”

She turned back, furrowing her brows in confusion. “Oh, I thought maybe you were closed.”

The old man smiled and shook his head. “No, no. Not for you, my dear.” He gestured to a table set up for two. “Please, sit down.”

Hesitantly, she stepped forward. “What’s going on?”

“I hope you’ll forgive me. Zuko always says that he doesn’t have time to speak with you when you come in because of the other customers. Now, there are no other customers.” He winked. 

Just then, Zuko came out from the back of the shop, holding a tray with a pot of tea and various cakes on it. He looked incredibly uncomfortable.

“Ah, nephew. Perfect timing. I hope you can take care of Katara here - I must attend to some paperwork I’ve been putting off.” Iroh grinned as he scurried out of the room before either Katara or Zuko could protest. 

Katara turned her attention to the boy in front of her, pulling at a lock of hair - a nervous habit she was trying to break. “Um, it’s nice to properly meet you, Zuko.”

He set down the tray on the table and sat down across from her. “My uncle thinks that I’m lonely and need a friend - specifically a girlfriend - and he’s trying to set us up together.” He mumbled, almost sounding dejected as he poured them both tea. 

“I figured as much,” she replied, the corners of her mouth turning upwards in a smile. “He wasn’t very subtle.”

“I’m sorry. You can leave if you want.” He wouldn’t look at her.

She shrugged. “We don’t have to follow your uncle’s plan. We could just talk. Or we could sit in awkward silence drinking tea and eating these delicious looking cakes.”

Zuko grunted, but she thought she saw the hint of a smile on his face. “You come in here a lot.”

She nodded. “I like the tea. And the cakes. And I like getting away from my friends for a bit.”

He finally looked up and met her gaze. His golden eyes were soft but somehow intense and piercing at the same time. “You’re Water Tribe, right?” She nodded, and he continued. “What brings you here?”

“The war,” she sighed, looking down at her tea and watching the steam coil up into the air, bringing with it its delicate aroma. 

“Me too.”

Katara looked back up. “Is that how you got your scar?” 

He stared at her for a moment, his single eyebrow furrowed deeply. “You could say that, yeah.”

“Sorry,” she sputtered. “I just… I was curious.”

He shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m used to it.” He took a bite of his cake. “You uh… have excellent taste in books.”

She flushed slightly. “Oh, thanks. I didn’t think you’d noticed.”

This time his cheek turned slightly pink. “I can be observant sometimes.”

She raised an eyebrow, feeling emboldened. “Like when girls are involved?”

He recoiled, flushing deeply. “No! Just - you’re  _ interesting,  _ that’s all. I’ve never met a Water Tribe person before!”

She laughed. “I’m just teasing. But if you’re looking for something to read, I definitely have suggestions.”

He relaxed, but only slightly. “Sure. I mean, I don’t really have anything else to do in my spare time.”

She leaned forward and smiled. “Well let me know what you like.”

He blinked. Swallowed. Ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, right. Books.”

Katara was hoping that maybe he would divert the subject away from books, but the conversation went in depth into stories they had both enjoyed, the differences in childhood stories they had read being from different nations, the cliches they hated (and the ones they loved). She found herself enjoying the conversation. Zuko was pleasant and interesting once she’d gotten past his quiet, moody exterior. 

When Katara glanced out the window and saw that it was dark, she started. “Oh, spirits, I should get back home. My friends are probably wondering where I disappeared off to.”

“Right,” Zuko said, standing. “Um… Would you like me to walk you back?”

She smiled and shook her head. “Thanks, Zuko. I’ll be alright - it’s a short walk and I know the way.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll swing by again tomorrow, and I’ll bring some books for you.”

He smiled at her - perhaps for the first time that night. “I’d like that, Katara.”

She grinned. “I had fun tonight, by the way. Maybe we can do it again sometime. Talk about those books.”

His smile widened slightly. “Sure. That sounds nice.”

Katara turned to the door, pulling it open, then looked back. “See you tomorrow, then, Zuko.”

“See you tomorrow.”

And she left, her heart and footsteps light as she made her way through the streets of Ba Sing Se back home.


	15. Trust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continued from Day 12: Moonbeam

Zuko nodded at her, as though he had already known her answer, then stood up, brushing the sand off his pants. He offered her a hand. “Do you trust me, Katara?”

Katara looked up at him. The shadows cast by the moonlight made his face look strange, but his eyes glinted brightly, familiar and soft. She chewed her lip. There was a time, not so long ago, that she hadn’t trusted him as far as she could throw him - and she could throw him pretty far with her waterbending. But things had shifted between them since he’d helped her find her mother’s killer. He’d let her confront him  _ her _ way, and he’d had her back the whole time. 

She took his hand. “Yes,” she said, exhaling as he pulled her to her feet. 

He smiled, and she felt her stomach flutter slightly as she realized that she liked his smile. It was soft and quiet, and it was something she’d only seen him do when he felt safe and accepted within their little family. It was certainly an improvement from the constant scowl he’d worn when chasing them around the world trying to capture them.

“Come on,” he said, leading the way back towards the house. “There’s something I want to show you.”

Perplexed, but curious, Katara caught up to him until they were walking side by side in companionable silence. It was nice, she thought, being able to just walk together with no pressures, no expectations, no responsibilities. She had been caring for the others in the group for so long she’d forgotten what it was like to be free for a moment. 

“Where are we going?” She asked, as Zuko bypassed the house and started off down a side path. “I don’t have shoes.” The path was made of sandy soil, but she wasn’t sure how long that would last.

“It’s not far,” he responded, glancing at her. “But if your feet start hurting, I’ll carry you.”

“You will not!” She nearly choked on her own saliva at the mere idea, and she felt her face redden. Why, she wasn’t sure. But the thought of Zuko carrying her in his arms made her stomach flip and her heart beat just a little bit faster.

He chuckled. “Well then, stop complaining.”

She huffed but continued along beside him. The path wound away from the beach and the house, further inland. A few trees popped up along the edge of the path, waving in the breeze. It was slightly eerie in the darkness, although Zuko had lit a small flame on his hand and was using it to illuminate their path. 

“Here,” he whispered, veering to the left into what looked like a thick grove of trees and bushes. 

Cautiously, Katara followed. She trusted Zuko, but the night breeze and the trees made her feel like someone was watching them. But as they stepped beyond the bushes, Zuko sent little flames darting around, catching them in small lanterns set up around what appeared to be a very overgrown, unkempt garden. She looked around, mouth slightly agape at the various types of flowers and other fauna that had claimed this place as its home.

“This is where my mother spent most of her time on the island, when we’d visit.” Zuko said, unprompted. “Just like the Royal Gardens, back home.”

“It’s beautiful,” Katara murmured, stepping forward to stroke the petals of a fiery orange flower. 

“She struggled to be happy, too.” He sighed, and Katara turned to look at him. “She knew my fa- Ozai - was a monster. She wanted to protect us - me and Azula - from him. And she found ways to be happy even though she was fighting him every day.”

“I’m sorry…” 

He shook his head. “I just mean… Katara… you can find things that make you happy, even though everything will change in a week.”

She stepped forward, looking up at him. “Thank you, Zuko. For showing me this. I know it’s difficult for you to talk about your mom.”

He nodded and swallowed. “She would like you, you know.” Her cheeks warmed, but before she could respond, he continued. “Can… can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“When I first joined your group, and you hated me, I didn’t try so hard to redeem myself to you  _ just _ to earn my honor back.”

Katara furrowed her brows. “What do you mean?”

He stepped forward, and she sucked in a breath. He was very close to her. 

“I mean… if it had been anyone else in the group who hated me, I could’ve dealt with it. I’ve been hated a lot throughout my life. But I couldn’t stand the thought of  _ you  _ hating me because… well, because…” He hesitated. He took a deep breath, and then the words spewed from his mouth so fast Katara could barely understand them. “My uncle always says things happen for a reason and I just can’t get you out of my head and I still can’t believe that you’d forgive me after everything I did but - and you’re really pretty which is making this really difficult - but I thought that maybe we were thrown together in Ba Sing Se for a reason because ever since then I’ve just wanted to… to…” 

Her heart was racing, even as she raised herself onto her toes and pressed her lips against his, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek as she did so. She hadn’t expected to do it. She hadn’t thought it through. But his rambling paralleled some of her own recent thoughts. Thoughts that she had rejected as mere fantasy. Until now. 

She pulled away, gentle as she had begun, and looked up at him as she chewed on the inside of her lip, feeling a flush come to her cheeks. He was staring at her, eyes wide, shocked into utter silence. And then he unfroze, and before she could react, he had wrapped his arms tightly around her and was kissing her, and she let herself melt into him.

She was very glad that she’d let herself trust him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments! I love hearing feedback and I'm really excited to write from these prompts this month! Let me know what you think below - comments make my day!


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